The Difference Between Fondness and Infatuation
by AniMeViEtGrl
Summary: Tomoyo takes Spinel home one day when she finds him asleep because of a little escapade from sweets. What will happen when she finds out that this magical creature belongs to Eriol? ExT?


Haa hoo! what? another story? YES! BUAHAHAH another story! this has been on my computer so i say, "ehhh why not?" and so now here it is! hope you enjoy! this story was simpl a result of my boredom!

Disclaimer:I do NOT own CCS

The Difference between Fondness and Infatuation

"Ahh what a beautiful afternoon!" An amethyst-eyed beauty said as she looked at the Sakura trees blooming in the spring...Tomoyo looked at her watch, 6:30 p.m, she had gone grocery shopping after school.

Tomoyo Daidouji, 11 years old, best friends with the newly master of the clow, Sakura Kinomoto. Hobbies? Making outfits for Sakura-chan, filming Sakura-chan in her Cardcaptor glory days or just for the heck of it...and...do a little plotting in getting the little wolf and the cherry blossom together. Status? Daughter of the all-powerful Sonomi Daidouji, her mother owns a big toy industry, so therefore she's...rich..duh! anyways...back to our story...

It was spring-time in Tomoeda and Tomoyo was walking home from buying her groceries. It was another boring day at school...well she'd be lying if she said 'boring'... actually it was pretty hectic. First, Syaoran tripped in P.E class! Face first! And Sakura had run to his aide...of course knowing Li-kun he was very embarrassed. So having no options he just ran away...mumbling an 'I have to go to the nurse' excuse, bad excuse to use in Tomoyo's response. Tomoyo thought this was absolutely hilarious because after Syaoran had made like a banana and split...leaving Sakura going her usual "phwee?"

Secondly, Sakura wouldn't stop asking Syaoran if he was okay, because Syaoran said he had to go to the 'nurse' or as if Tomoyo Had called it...sulking underneath a desk or something...okay that was overdoing but well, you get the point.

Then at lunch...Syaoran was pretty calm now and so he was doing his usual thing...eavesdropping on the girls having lunch. They were eating at their usual spot...underneath a Sakura tree, where as Syaoran was sitting on a branch in the tree. The boys on the field were playing soccer and like cupids arrow, the soccer ball hit Syaoran on the back of the head. Causing him to fall off the tree and into the lunches the girls worked so hard on. Sakura was all "where'd he come from?" and "are you okay?" while wiping the cream off his face, Tomoyo had brought a homemade cream pie. Rika and Tomoyo herself were watching in amusement. And Chiharu and Naoko were a little...pissed...because their food was ruined and when Syaoran went splat onto the food it had the conclusion of the food flying onto Chiharu and Naoko. Causing them to chase Syaoran away from there little 'picnic'.

And during last period of the day, science class, They were experimenting with chemicals...and...Syaoran, again...was too busy staring at the kawaii Cherry Blossom, from Tomoyo's point of view and didn't notice that he took the wrong test tube out and had already added it to the mixture causing everyone to evacuate.

The whole classroom was destroyed...but then again these chemicals were suppose to be harmful even when adding the wrong things, so the teacher was angry and confused. It may have had something to do with a little bit of magic Syaoran had accidentally let leak out.

Syaoran was sent to the principal's office. Luckily for him, Sakura, Yamazaki, Tomoyo and Eriol had talked to the principal explaining it wasn't Syaoran's fault.

And that sums up Tomoyo's day...

"I can't believe the principal bought Yamazaki-kuns lie!" Tomoyo giggled to herself as she was about to cross a very busy street.

Suddenly as she stopped at the crosswalk to let the cars pass she saw a hurt kitten in the middle of the road. The green light had just turned on and if Tomoyo didn't do something the kitten would get run over! Without thinking, Tomoyo dashed out of the street and grabbed the kitten in the nick of time and landed on the other side of the sidewalk...

She looked at her bruised legs and frowned, mother would not approve of this. But she wasn't badly hurt, the kitten she found looked in even more pain.

But...now that she got to look at it closer...was it even a kitten?

It was more like a stuffed animal to her...It had a curly tail and big cat ears with a small body...it somehow reminded Tomoyo of Kero...Tomoyo listened to the..umm...animal and heard it purr softly, so it was definitely alive! She picked up her school bag which had dropped and rushed towards her house.

Tomoyo had bandaged up the cat-like creature and had put him...Tomoyo's instinct told her it was a male, to bed in her room. She went to the kitchen to make something for her and the cat to eat.

In Tomoyo's room...

Spinels eyes popped wide open...

"Where am I? this is most definitely not Master Eriol's house..." Spinel thought out loud...he unfolded his wings and began to explore this new environment...Spinel found himself looking at pictures and sketch designs of costumes spread around an untidy desk. The pictures he glanced at were of the girl, the one that his master had been testing that is, was it Kinomoto Sakura? and the girl who always was with her...

Spinel thought back...

_Flashback_

"_How was your day master Eriol?" Spinel asked as his head was buried in a book._

"_reading again are we now?" Eriol asked putting away his coat. Spinel just stuck his head out and nodded politely._

"_It was a good day today I presume" Eriol casually walked over to his favorite chair near the fireplace and sat down._

"_Kinomoto-chan is a very high spirited person, so is my dearest relative Syaoran Li..." Eriol said casually._

"_And Daidouji-san is a very interesting girl, she has very keen eyes and a kind heart" Eriol was lost in his thoughts._

"_Is that the girl who designed those outrageous outfits for Kinomoto Sakura?" Spinel said rolling his eyes._

"_I wouldn't call the costumes 'outrageous' Spinel Sun" Eriol looked into the flames of the fireplace._

"_more like...interesting..." He continued to look into the flames, he leaned his chin on his palm._

"_Does that mean you are quite fond with this girl?" Spinel peeked out from behind his book..._

" '_Fond' is not the word to describe it...more like...infatuated..." Eriol spoke._

_End of Flashback_

"I clearly don't see a difference in being fond of someone and being infatuated of someone" Spinel spoke, he shook his head in dismay.

"Well, for starters, being fond of someone is when a person has a certain liking to them, sort of like being attracted to them..." The door to the room opened. Leaving a very surprised Spinel.

"I'm sorry, did I scare you?" Tomoyo lifted her head to one side.

Spinel just stared. 'How could I not sense her coming?' he thought quietly to himself.

"At first I thought you were a normal animal but I guess you're not..." Tomoyo set down the tray of food on her table.

"you are...not afraid of me?" Spinel flew over to Tomoyo.

"Well at first I was startled to hear you talk but...i do have a friend like you, so I'm not what you would called 'scared'...i guess you can call this normal for me!" Tomoyo giggled.

"But to continue your question earlier, being infatuated of a person is like being interested in a person as you would call it. I guess they are both the same at times but then again they are fairly different in the end" Tomoyo finished.

"Of course that's what I think..." Tomoyo added still unsure of herself.

"I see" Spinel nodded, 'Now I highly disagree with master, I think he is quite fond of the girl...' Spinel thought

X

O

X

"Ruby moon have you seen Spinel anywhere?" Eriol entered the kitchen where Nakuru was cooking.

"...uhhh...nope! H-Haven't seen him anywhere master!" Nakuru laughed nervously...

Eriol just raised a questioning eyebrow and gave a look that said 'what happened while I was gone?'

Nakuru could not fool her master, partly because she was very bad at keeping secrets..."Ummm...well...I fed Suppi some...uhhh...sweets...and umm...h-he kinda 'escaped' out of the house..." Nakuru laughed.

"And why haven't you looked for him?" Eriol crossed his arms holding in his disappointment...

'uh-oh...he seems mad...' Nakuru thought.

"Surely I AM quite mad Ruby moon..." Eriol tapped his foot waiting for an answer.

"W-well! This has happened before and Suppi found his way back last time!" Nakuru whined.

"And I had to cook dinner for you Master Eriol!" Nakuru added puppy-eyed.

"-sigh- I'll go look for him...we'll talk about this LATER" Eriol put on his coat and walked out the door. He sighed exasperated...he really should scold Nakuru when he got back home this time, but he knew that he could not do it, he had a soft spot for his guardians after all.

Eriol suddenly sensed Spinels presence nearby and followed his aura.

X

O

X

"I'm sorry but I must go, my master is surely worried about me..." Spinel got ready to leave.

"Matte! Won't you at least have dinner with me? I made some for you!" Tomoyo smiled.

Tomoyo had cooked fried salmon with rice and a side of miso soup for herself, for Spinel, she just had broiled salmon in ginger sauce, it smelled delicious. Well, since he LOOKED LIKE a cat, Tomoyo supposed he'd eat fish...

Spinel hesitated...but sat down knowing the trouble this girl went through to cook for him.

"My name is Tomoyo Daidouji! What about yours?" Tomoyo sat down on her bed as the two ate.

"Spinel Sun..." Spinel hesitated at first but then thought 'oh Master Eriol could just erase her memories later... '

"Nice to meet you Suppi-kun!" Tomoyo gave a kawaii smile.

"S-Suppi?" Spinel raised an eyebrow, this girl called him by the same insanely idiotic nickname that the cross-dressing baka gave him?

"I dunno...it just...feels right! Isn't it a cute nickname?" Tomoyo laughed lightly.

"If you say so..." Spinel took a bite out of his salmon. 'this girl is just like that idiotic Ruby Moon!' Spinel thought in disappointment.

"Is it okay?" Tomoyo asked tilting her head to one side.

"Better than what that klutz of a girl can cook up..." Spinel mumbled between bites of food.

"I guess its okay then?" Tomoyo giggled.

"Delicious..." Spinel managed a smile at Tomoyo and Tomoyo smiled back.

"You're seem to be very fun to talk to...your master must be a very lucky guy." Tomoyo smiled again.

"I guess he is..." Spinel finished up his dinner.

Not known to the two, Eriol was sitting up against a tree branch of a tree outside Tomoyo's bedroom, listening to the lovely conversation.

"So...why were you lying on the street when I found you?" Tomoyo suddenly asked...

Spinel paused. "Well lets just say that I hate sweets..." Spinel mumbled...

"huh?" Tomoyo asked puzzled. Spinel sighed.

"Well...I tend to get 'hyper' when I am fed sweets and so this afternoon that foolish girl fed it to me...well more like FORCED it down my esophagus! And whenever I eat sweets I just go berserk." Spinel answered and Tomoyo just nodded her head and listened, even if her brain was still processing the information.

"So I escaped from the house being 'hyper' as you would call it, I can't really remember it all clearly but I think I crashed into some trees and so that's where I got my bruises from and after all the rampaging I always fall asleep afterwards..." Spinel finished.

"ahhh so that's what you were doing!" Tomoyo clapped her hands together.

"Indeed I was" Spinel glanced at the time...

"I must be on my way now Daidouji-san" Suppi sensed Eriol's presence, merely because Eriol allowed him to sense it.

"You can just call me Tomoyo" Tomoyo smiled at the creature. She didn't know why but talking to Spinel made her feel less...lonely...well maybe talking to anyone would make her feel less lonely in this house, after all, her mother was always away with business to attend to and rarely home.

DING DONG!

"ah! H-hai!" Tomoyo got up from her chair and rushed out of her room to answer the door. Luckily her maids were out for the time so they would not be answering the door or coming to check up on her every so often.

'That's weird...who would be up at this hour?' Tomoyo looked at the grandfather clock which read 9:30 p.m

"Coming!" Tomoyo yelled as the door bell was rung again.

Tomoyo opened the large oak doors.

"H-Hiiragizawa-kun?" Tomoyo stood surprised...Eriol Hiiragizawa was the last person she'd expect at her front door.

"Good evening Daidouji-san" Eriol stepped inside as Tomoyo gestured him too.

"Umm w-would you like some tea?" Tomoyo asked stuttering at first, she ushered him to sit down.

"It's quite alright, I would not want to be a burden to you" Eriol politely said.

"It's ok! I don't mind! I was uhh planning on making tea anyways!" Tomoyo laughed and rushed towards the kitchen after asking him to take a seat.

'This feels peculiar...' Tomoyo thought to herself as she heated up the tea.

Tomoyo didn't know how to act around Eriol, it wasn't because he scared her or anything like that...maybe it just felt awkward because she never talked to him much, well not as much as Sakura. And she couldn't read him...Tomoyo was pretty good at reading peoples faces and feelings from just looking at them but when she looks at Eriol...he never seems to show any emotion...or it's like his heart is closed off or something like that. But it was easy to read him from his actions, like she knew he cared for Sakura and Syaoran a lot.

Tomoyo shook her head.

'ahh I'm thinking too much again!' she thought to herself.

Eriol sat patiently waiting until he heard Tomoyo and the clinking of the tea cups.

"ano...here you go..." Tomoyo said a little uncomfortable.

"Is it that weird to have me around?" Eriol asked looking at Tomoyo.

"w-wha? H-how did you know?" Tomoyo sat down she suddenly covered her mouth.

"G-Gomen ne sai!" tomoyo blushed in embarrassment.

"I could just tell by looking at you...and the sound of your voice" Eriol chuckled.

Tomoyo didn't know why, but that caused her to blush a little. Was it from embarrassment? Was it because nobody had ever seen through her mask before? Tomoyo guessed a little bit of both.

"I'm sorry Hiiragizawa-kun it's just ummm...what is the right word to say? Lets see...it feels...different...m-maybe it's because I've never spoken to you much" Tomoyo gave a little apologetic look.

"I suppose I feel the same way too..." Eriol drank out of his cup lightly.

"Honto ni? I'm glad I'm not the only one or I'd feel bad!" Tomoyo sighed in relief.

"hmm...why do you say that Daidouji-san?" Eriol gave a questioning look.

"why...?" Tomoyo asked herself...

"well...because..." Tomoyo grinned sheepishly.

"Because this may sound strange...I don't mean to offend you in any way...but because I don't want you to think bad of me..." Tomoyo grinned.

"Oh! wait! I didn't mean to sound selfish! It's just..." Tomoyo suddenly noticed how neat her feet were. Eriols eyes flashed in surprise for about a second.

"No, It's quite alright, just...?" Eriol ushered on.

"P-promise you won't laugh...?" Tomoyo looked at Eriol with emotions of what to be shyness. She poked her two index fingers together.

"You have my word for it" Eriol gave a reassuring smile.

"Well...ummm.." Tomoyo hesitated.

"Go on" Eriol pushed on.

"Well...I just...don't want you to hate me...maybe if it was with someone I'm not familiar with it'd be okay...b-but not with you..." Tomoyo felt embarrassed, she couldn't believe she was blabbering all this out.

Eriol was a little taken back, not in a bad way, but more of a surprised way.

"Well uhh...w-what brings you here Hiiragizawa-kun?" Tomoyo quickly changed the subject.

It took Tomoyo all she had to say that as calmly and as casually as she could, yet she failed, because Eriol was staring at her...intently...his eyes were hypnotizing her, she felt as if she would get lost in them forever.

It felt as if she was being read like a book, like she was revealing herself to him. Deep thoughts for an eleven year old yes? but Tomoyo was pretty mature for her age, she could be as mature as her friend Rika if she wanted too. It was weird...only Eriol could do this to her...

"Eriol is just fine...we've known each other long enough right Tomoyo-san?" Eriol asked smiling kindly.

"Umm sure..." Tomoyo felt her cheeks fire up. ' 'Tomoyo'...when Eriol says it, my name feels like...it just feels...so right!' Tomoyo thought to herself...'WAIT! WHAT AM I THINKING! URGHHHH!' Tomoyo shook her head.

"You haven't answered my question yet Eriol-kun" Tomoyo pointed out matter-of-factly when she recollected herself.

"Ah yes, that's right, I'm here for my cat..." Eriol held out a flyer.

"Oh that's right! I put out flyers right after I got home!" Tomoyo clapped her hands together...

"Let me go get him!" Tomoyo got up and trotted up the stairs. Tomoyo then paused as she stopped in front of her door...wait a minute...why would Eriol Hiiragizawa have a magical creature like Suppi-kun? Unless he...

As Tomoyo opened the door something zipped by her.

"W-What was that!" Tomoyo looked at the black flying thing that started zipping all over the house.

"It can't be..." Eriol sulked in his seat.

Then the flying thing stopped in front of Eriol, eating the tea cakes that were put down for him. Eriol slowly moved his hands and 'tried' to catch it but it quickly flew out the open window.

"W-Was that...?" Tomoyo asked as she ran down the stairs.

"Spinel? Yes it was..." Eriol sighed and put on his jacket. He quickly rushed through the door apologizing to Tomoyo.

"M-Matte yo!" Tomoyo slipped on her jacket as well and rushed out the door locking it.

"Wait a minute...if Hiiragizawa-kun knows about Suppi-chan...then that must mean..." Tomoyo put two and two together.

Eriol had to have magic! Or knew about it at least...

Tomoyo paused as she watched Eriols back fade farther and farther away.

'This is no time to regret things!' Tomoyo thought as she ran after Eriol again.

Spinel was bouncing through trees and bushes and every other thing. As he followed along the road, two guys were carrying a glass table across the street. Spinel, in his drunken state, zoomed under the mans foot causing him to fall back. But luckily he kept his balance and the two sighed in relief.

Eriol was only a few meters away and realized that the two men wouldn't move any faster so he swiftly crawled underneath the table, he would've easily jumped over it but he didn't want to attract attention. The table once again became unbalanced by the sudden movement, the men once again had a hard time to keep it balanced.

Then Tomoyo came and the two men seemed to be blocking the way still. The two men saw Tomoyo and lowered the table wanting to tell her to wait until they cleared the way. But before they could set it down completely Tomoyo had hopped over the table placing her two hands on the table and jumping across it quickly yet gently.

When there were no signs of people close by, Eriol summoned his staff out and seized time to stand still. Tomoyo saw her surroundings become all gray as if Sakura had used the 'time' card.

"Hiiragizawa-kun...Is this his doing?" Tomoyo pondered as she got closer to Eriol.

She finally caught up to Eriol after running through some trees. But Tomoyo decided to keep herself hidden...

Tomoyo quietly followed the boy as he held up his staff and he summoned a wind to trap the flying creature in a small ball. Tomoyo stare dumbstruck at the site before her, Eriol Hiiragizawa had a staff! And if she was not mistaken, he had used the Windy card!

As the wind calmed down the hyper Spinel and rocked the creature to sleep, Eriol sensed another presence near but did not tear his gaze away from Spinel. As he cradled the now at peace Spinel in his arms, he said quietly but enough for the person to hear.

"You can come out now..." He said and turned to the still frozen in time trees. Who he expected to see was Syaoran or Sakura...but instead he saw Tomoyo.

"Impossible...time should've frozen her as well..." Eriol murmured.

"..." Tomoyo stared at Eriol for a long while until she finally had the courage to speak up.

"E-Eriol-kun...w-were y-you the one testing Sakura-chan...?" Tomoyo asked hesitantly.

"Hai..." Eriol merely smiled, there was no point in hiding it now.

"B-But...why?" Tomoyo asked with hurt in her voice. "Why would you want to hurt Sakura-chan?"

Eriol looked straight into her eyes expressionless.

"I have to help her transform all the clow cards into Sakura cards...I do not intend to harm her, I know she will be alright..." Eriol stated matter-of-factly.

Tomoyo looked down.

"I see..." she mumbled taking in all this information.

"I'm sorry if I have been deceiving you all..." Eriol said sadly.

Tomoyo looked up and instead of an equal sad face, she appeared to be smiling instead.

"N-No! I didn't mean to upset you! I was just a little surprised!" Tomoyo smiled wholeheartedly.

Eriol just stared at the lavender-eyed lass in half disbelief.

Tomoyo suddenly walked up to him and held his hand comfortingly.

"Arigatou Eriol-kun...for looking out for Sakura-chan and Li-kun" Tomoyo smiled again.

Eriol felt his heart skip a beat and for once he felt that his cheeks were about to give up and a blush was coming his way.

"No...thank-you..." Eriol smiled back and squeezed her hand.

"I suppose you would have to like um, erase my memory or something right?" Tomoyo said and let turned around walking a few feet away and turning back around to face him again. She hummed a tune to herself.

Eriol was once again surprised by her intelligence. Tomoyo was easy to adjust to things, no matter how out of the ordinary things could get for her.

"I'm sorry...but I will have to..." Eriol looked down guiltily.

"I thought so..." Tomoyo smiled, but a little sadly.

"But...may I have a last request before you do so?" Tomoyo's face lit up.

Eriol looked at her for a second and smiled, as if asking her to shoot away.

"Well...if my memory gets erased...will it be okay if you and I can spend some time together sometime after?" Tomoyo felt embarrassed.

"..." Eriol paused.

"Of course..." he smiled and then looked to Tomoyo for any last words.

"You really are a kind person Eriol-kun! And I shall take that to heart!" Tomoyo smiled and Eriol reluctantly waved his hand in front of Tomoyo's eyes causing her to fall back, He gracefully caught her and held her in his arms. He smiled at the sleeping lass in front of him

"Spinel was right...maybe I had been fond of this girl all along" Eriol whispered and carried Tomoyo home, with Suppi cuddling on Tomoyo's lap.

* * *

Welly wells! Whaddaya thinks? Yeah yeah, my definitions of fondness and infatuated were probably off...maybe I'll look into it later and rewrite it...should I make a sequel or leave it at that? 


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